Hotel Casino Proudly Displays American Flag.
A Hotel Casino that shows it patriotism by a proud display of the American Flag, was recently dragged into the news and labeled un-Amercan simply for enforcing their own employee handbook regulations.
“The Casa Monica Hotel located in St. Augustine, Florida, is an American-based, homegrown historic hotel,” their email reads. “The property reflects its pride in America and great patriotism by flying the Stars and Stripes high over the hotel. The American flag greets every guest and employee with its symbolism of our belief in this great country.”
Instead the headline reads:
Hotel Fires Man Who Wore U.S. Flag Pin
One employee decided to wear an American Flag pin and was sent home for disobedience and eventually fired when he refused to remove the pin from his hotel uniform.
The employees of this hotel wear uniforms. Their employee handbook clearly states, ‘No other buttons, badges, pins or insignias of any kind are permitted to be worn.’ No matter an individual’s national preference, political views or religious affiliation, it is a standard regulation which ensures equality for all Grand Performers (employees).”
The media is painting the hotel as evil and unpatriotic. The stories on the internet and television show the fired hotel employee in his regular clothes (not the hotel uniform) and they play a sad tale of how he was denied his opportunity to reflect his pride in America. Of course he is an American. He is suing the hotel isn't he? After all that's the American way. And the media is helping him win his case by twisting the news in his favor.
I did not want to hear this story and I did not want to defend this hotel but it came within by line of sight completely by accident and I saw nothing else to do but try and set the record straight. My heart simply cannot take much of this leaving out the all the truth.
Keep repeating, "I must not watch the news! I must not watch the news! I must now watch the news! I must not watch the news! I must not watch the news! I must not watch the news!........
Here is a uniform that would allow the young man to display his pins and his patriotism.
We put way too much emphasis on a person's religion rather than how they live their life and way too much emphasis on what they wear as opposed to how they act. We really have to get over all this superficiality.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Tabor. The man knew the rules and he tried to bend them. The hotel was right and the media be damned.
ReplyDeleteTabor -- So true.
ReplyDeleteJudy -- And we don't put enough emphasis on "the rest of the story". People are ready to boycott the casino based on half truths.
I agree with everything already said here. I also agree completely with the statement, "I must not watch the news."
ReplyDeleteRalph
I don't miss being a reporter.
ReplyDeleteI try to avoid the news too, but I do read a newspaper. I just feel out of touch without it, but I do realise how much the truth is distorted. I have first hand experience when my partner ran a TV company and got caught up in some bad publicity. The lies that were written are unbelievable. Fortunately my partner had nothing to hide.
ReplyDeleteI saw that tv report and feel the same as you.
ReplyDeleteWhen an employee knows the rules, breaks the rules and refuses to stop breaking the rules, what choice does an employer have? If this employee is allowed to wear his flag, other employees can display the flags or emblems of their choice, and they might not all fit in with the philosophy of the hotel.
ReplyDeleteI've stopped watching the news. Instead I read a major news magazine and a major newspaper. I still sometimes disagree with what is written, but it is usually written in a respectful way. Not true of the broadcast media any more.
Ralph – It is only by accident that I come across something like this and once my blood starts to boil, there is not stopping me. Looks like I need blinders, ear plugs and a gag.
ReplyDeleteRiot Kitty – So tell us about your reporter days. I’m glad you’re not one either – unless you could change the way other reporters do things.
LL Cool Joe – Just like my husband says, “If you never lie you will never have anything to hide.”
Ancient one – I’m glad someone else saw the item in the news. Notice how the press flaunted it all day then dropped it and moved on to the next sensational item they found? Somehow I believe your goats would feel the same way we do.
Susan Adcox – You are so right. Can’t you just see the employees that would have to have assistance walking with all the labels and pins they could put on their uniforms if the policy allowed it for one person. You are also right about the broadcast media being the primary source of drivel. What news magazine do you feel is most trustworthy these days? It seems the Washington Post is actually becoming more fair and balanced these days.
My gut reaction is, "How dare they not let this man wear a US flag on his lapel!" When I sit back and think about it, if he knew the rules of the hotel, he shouldn't have taken the job. Imagine how it would look if ANY pin were to be allowed to be worn and how it would reflect on the hotel. I can't blame them for banning them all.
ReplyDeletecube -- The media plans everything based on our gut reactions. That is why I try to give everything a second glance when I feel my blood begin to boil. Shocking and sensational emails cannot be trusted and when the subject is researched, nine times out of ten the facts are false. It is getting more and more difficult to know what information can be trusted and what information is missing "the rest of the story".
ReplyDeleteRules are NOT there to be broken....so if the next man comes along with a pin of nude lady and wishes to wear it with his uniform because that's what HE believes in then what????
ReplyDeleteI hate MEDIA I really do!!!